Lifting truck for circuit-breaker tanks



1,624,361 Apnl 12, 1927. I J. w ow LIFTING TRUCK FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER 'muxs Filed April 1925 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 -W|TNESSES: f; j a %;3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 12, 1927. 1,624,361

J. W. W. OW

LIFTING TRUCK FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER TANKS Filed. April l5, J.925 4 Sheets-Sheet; z

m y 6% I ATTORNEY April 12., 1927.

J. W. W. OW-

LIFTING TRUCK FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER TANKS i Sheets-Shet 5 Filed April 15, 1925 0 n R 0 ,N m w R N. I o w w T m W m w w m w M W a. M Na 0 WITNESSES: 36 L 1,624,361 Aprll 12, 1927. J. w. W. ow

LIFTING TRUCK FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER TANKS Filed April 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 45 I WITNESSES: 3\ .32 8 INVENTOR g g mmo ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 12,1927.

UNITED STATES 1,624,361- PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. W. W, 01 WILKINSBUNG, FENNSYLVAN IA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC ck MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LIFTING TRUCK FOR CIRCUIT-BREAKER TANKS.

Application flledpril 15, 1925. Serial No. 23,400.

' My invention relates to power house eguipment and particul rly to tank lifters 0 the truck ty and interlocks therefor.

One object 0 my invention is to provide a tank lifter that shall raise and also adjust or clamp a' tank in position after it has reached its elevated position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tank-lifting and adjusting device that shall have a source of ower that may be selectively utilized for e evating a portion of a circuit breaker tank or the like and for adjusting or clamping the tank in ele vated position. 7

It is also an object of my invention to provide a tank-lifting and adjusting devicev of the truck type thatshall be easily positioned. with respect to the element to be manipulated. Y

Another object of my invention is to intcrlock the clamping means on a circuit breaker with the disconnecting switches adjacent thereto and the tank-lifting and adjusting-device, so that .the latter may perdetcrmined portions of a circuit interrupter and the disconnecting switch are in their proper position. I

It is a further object of my invention to provide an adjusting device for a plurality of groups of clamps such that the tension on all groups of clamps is equalized.

The tank lifting and adjusting device shown and described in this application constitutes the subject-matter of the applicationnf C. Aalborg, Serial No, 91,776, filed March 2, 1926, and which is assigned to the Westinghouse Electric andManufacturing Com- \pany, As a matter of safety'for workmen enrupters, it is customary to have'the circuit interruptcrs interlocked with suitable disconnectingswitches in such manner that the circuit interrupters cannot be operated un less the disconnecting switches are in their open position. I provide additional inter- .locking means such that the tank-lifting and adjusting-device cannot perform its clampless the disconnecting switches are open and the tank memberof the circuit interrupter is in its proper position. I

In the accompanying drawings,

form its adjusting feature only when pre-v gaged in manipulating large circuit inter-' ing operation until in proper position, un

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a circuit interrupter and my improved tanklifting and adjusting device in operative connection thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, of the circuit interrupter and the tank-lifting and adjusting device taken along the. section line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the tank-lifting and adjusting device, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the cir-- cuit interrupter and disconnecting switch showing the interlocking connection therebetween. Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, a power house 1 has a floor 2, a vertical wall 3 having a horizontal partition 4' and a horizontal support 5 extending from the side wall 3. A tank-lifting and adjusting device 6 embodying my invention is supported by the floor 2.

The power house is provided with a circuit interrupter 7 comprising a tank member 8 and a cover member 9 that are mounted on the support 5, a suitable disconnecting switch lO'mounted on the wall 3 and suitable interlocking means 12 for interconnecting the disconnecting switch 10, the circuit interrupter 7 and the tank-lifting and adjusting device 6.

The tank member 8 of the circuit interrupter 7 contains insulating fluid for the circuit interrupter and is adapted to be lowered by the tank lifting and adjusting device 6 in order to expose the contact members of the circuit interrupter for repairs and inspection'and then raised to normal po sition. p

The power house 1 may be of any conventional construction, such as brick, concrete and the like, in which the wall 3 extends for a considerable distance in order to accommodate a plurality of units, each of which comprises a circuit interru ter 7, a disconnecting switch 10 having a atch 11 and an interlocking device 12. The number of such units may be multiplied indefinitely in accordance with the size of the power house. The description of a single unit will sufiice for the purposes of the present specification.

In such power houses, it is customary to operate the circuit breakers 7 by means of pull rods 13 and 14 controlled from an upper floor of the power house (not shown).

hereinafter described. For the sake of simplicity, the mechanical connections between the pull rods 13 and 14 and the moving contact member of the circuit interrupter have I wardly extending housing 17 to provide clearance space for the circuit breaker operating mechanism (not shown), which may be operated by a lever 18 suitably connected to-the pull rods 13 and 14.

The cover member 9 also supports a plurality of groups -of oppositely extending clamps 19, the lower edges of which are notched, as at 21, to engage slots in ears 22 formed on the tankme her 8 for securing the latter in operative position. Each pair of clamps 19 is actuated. by ahorizontally extending shaft 23, portions of which are oppositely threaded, as at 24, for the purpose of actuating the clamps 19 during rotational-movement of the shafts 23. The

upper portions of the clamps 19 comprise aligning nuts 20 that are internally threadedfor engaging the threads 24. Accordingly, reversal of the direction of rotation of the shafts'23'causes the clamps 19 to respectively engage or disengage the ears 22 on the tank member and clamp the latter in place.-

The ends of the shafts 23 are provided with couplings 25 for a purpose to be here-, inafter described. The couplings 25 may.

have a continuous-periphery or be notched,

" as at 26, if desired, in order to cooperate gripping mechanism to be hereinafter with a described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, inaddition to the cars 22, the tank 8 is provided with an upwardly extending lug 27 that extends to a point above the level of the support 5, and with bosses 31 having seats 32. therein for engagement with the tank lifting andadjusting device 6.

the tank-lifting and adjusting device 6.comprises a platform 33 that is. mounted on suitable rollers 34' that rest on the floor 2 of the power house 1. Thefloor 2 is provided with a plurality of openings 35 that co-operate with adjustable pins 36 carried by the tank-lifting and'adju'stin'g device for positioning the latter with respect to the circuit interrupter 7. The pin 36 are con nectcd through alink-and-tog e mechanism 37 to a 'hand'leve1138 and are iased in their raised position by a coil spring 39. Ifthe.

tank lifting and adjusting device 6 is in its proper position when the lever' 38 is given.

a clockwise turning movement, the toggle porting shafts 51.

mechanism 37 is locked and the pins 36 are depressed to enter the openings 35 in the floor 2.

A source of. power 40, such as an electric motor, is mountedto, the rear of the plat-.

form 33 and is connected, by a gear train 41,

to a vgertically' disposed telescopic drive shaft 42. A heavy frame, comprising guide members 43, extends upwardly from the platform 33 forsupporting a carriage 44 that comprisesia boss 45, and forwardly extending arms that terminate in bosses 46 for engaging the depressions 32 in the bosses 31 of the tank member 8 and thereby sup: port the latter when it is in motion.

The guide members 43 terminate in a header 47 from which downwardly extending screw threads 48 are driven for engagresiliently supported lugs. 53 for engaging the notches-26 in the coupling member 25;

A hand lever 54 is carried by the header member; 47 for directly moving the gripping I members. 52 in the direction of theirsup- The header member 4 7 contains a' different al gearin that isdriven by the shaft 42, or by. a hand -wheel 55, fonselectively driving the-screw threads 48 to raise -or' lower -the carriage- 44,011 to. drive the shafts 51 for tightening {or'loosening the groups of clamps 19.

- iot Referringparticularly to, Fig. 2, the shaft 42 and the hand wheel 55 each vengage a ringgear 56. The shaft 42 engages the'ring gear 56 by means of a 7 ear connection dis sed within theheader '4 7 below the plane 0 Fig.

2, and is indicated by dotted concentric circles. The ring gear 56 is adapted to freely rotate about a shaft 57 that is squared for a p portion of its length, as at 58'. The shaft 57 Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3,-

does not extend through the entire length of the header 47, but iszcomplemented, at the right of the center of the header member 47, by a shaft '59 having a squared portion 61.

Suitable bearingsurfaces 62 and 63 are ro vvided for supporting the shafts 57 an 59. The'ring gear 56 turns within the bearing surfaces 62 and 63 and the-outside of the shafts .57 and 59.

. The ring gear 56 supports a pair of stub shafts 64- that, in turn, carry pinlon 65. The

1y, but are capable of a differential action with respect to each other such that the shafts 57 and 59\will respectively deliver equal torques. Ring ears 68 and 69 are loosely mounted exteriorly of the hubs of the gears 66 and 67, respectively, whereby the hubs of the several gears are free to rtate relatively to each other except for frictional engagement, which is negligible when considered in connection with the amount of torque to be delivered by the shafts 57 and 59. Ring gears 68 and 69 are adapted for engaging and driving the screw threads 48.

Driving clutches 71 and 2 are mounted for longitudinal movement on the squared portions 58 and 61 of the shafts 57 and 59,

ill)

respectively, and rotate therewith. Referring to Fig. 3, a hand-lever system 74: is mounted exterior-1y of the header member 47 for sliding the driving clutches 71 and 72 inwardly and outwardly along the shafts 57 and 59 simultaneously. \Vhen the driving.

clutches 71 and 72 are moved inwardly, they engage the ring gears 68 and 69, respectively and actuate the screw threads-48.

The outer ends of the shafts 57 and 59,

, respectively, are surrounded by and rotate within beveled gears 75 and 76, respectively,

that, in turn, are connected to beveled gears 77 mounted on the squared shafts 51. When the drivin 'clutches 71 and 72 are moved outwardly by manipulation of the lever systom 7 4, they disengage the ring gears 68 and 69, respectively, and engage the gears 75 and 76, respectively, thereby causing the squared gagement with the cars 22. By reason of the differential action in the gear train just outlined. the glressure exerted by the several shaft-s 23 on t e several groups of clamps 19 will be equal. Danger of breaking one set of clamps 19 by drawing it up too snugly before ans associated set of clamps 19 are sufficiently taut, is thereby eliminated.

Referring to- Fig. 4, the interlocking device 12 comprises the ull rods 13 and 14:

; previously mcntionedt at jointly control a supported onthc wall 3. The lever 81 actu ates a flange 83 having, in. the periphery.

pair of levers 81 and .82'that are pivotally thereof, a pair of depressions. 84 and 85l -A.

horizontally extending rod 86 isprovided "with a .slot 87 that fits over the shaft 88 on which the crank 81 is mounted. One" end of j rod 86 terminates in a handle 89. nd is pro-' \ided, at itsother end beyond the slot with :1 lug 91'that slides uponthe peripheryl' v v the c.onnecting ;rod.-.;10410 the left of the I -of the disc 83 and is adapted to enter the dcprvsion 85 under conditions hereinafter more fully described. By reasonof theen gagemcnt between the periphery of the;

flange 83 and the lug 91, the rod 86 is biased to the right of. the figure when the pull rods 13 and 14 are in such position that the disconnecting switch 10 is closed.

A pair of bell cranks 92 and 93 are mounted on the cover member'9 of the circuit in terrupter 7 and are connected to the rod. 86. Bell crank 92 is attached to a rod 94 that, in turn, is biased'in a downward direction by aspring 95 that bears against an under- 7 surface of thefcover member 9, whereby the rod '86 is always biased to the right of the drawing. v

The bell crank 93 controls a ratchet 96 mounted on the shaft 23 through a pawl 97 a" turned so long as it engages the pawl 97 Upon movement of the rod 86 to the left, as viewed in the drawing, which can only take place when the lug 91 is in the depression 85, which, for automatic operation, necessi' tates the compression ofspring 95 by reason of the engagement between boss-4'5 and the rod 94, the pawl 97 is moved out of engagement with the ratchet 96 and the shaft 23 can rotate freely in either-direction. However, since the rod 86 can, be moved to the left, either by the manipulation of'the null rods 13 and 14 or. the handle 89, only when the disconnecting switch 10 is in its 0 en position, as indicated by the registry of ug 91 in depression 85, the shaft 23 cannot be. turned until the disconnecting switch 10 is opened,

A second rod 98 is pivotally supported on P the cover member 9, behind the rod 86 as viewed in Fig. 4, by a bell crank 99 that is biased in a counter-clockwisedirection by a spring 100. The end of the bell crank 99 engages the end of the lug '27 carried by the tank '8 when the latter is in its clamped position, thereby tending tomove the rod98 to the left of the figure when the tank is in proper position; The rod 98 earriesa lug 101 that eo-operates with the depression 84c [I0 in the flange 83. The rods 86 and 98 are independently mounted .on the shaft. 88.

.When the tank member '8 is removed, the

engagement between the lug 101.,{and the de ression '84- prevents manipulation of the H5 pulrods 13 and 14;. f

The crank 82 actuates Elk-En]! 102 that forms a part of atoggle mechanism. 103 for actuating a connecting rod104 attached to the latch 11 ofi disconnecting switch -10. Ian When the 'relatiye' positions of -thelphll rods 13 and liflarechanged-from .tl1at"shownin.;.- the drawing, thegc'rnnkg81t11rns n a coun-r ter clockwisedirection, thereby turning the arm; 102 in snchjnanner es to cause the tug It-fv glej'mechahismfi 3.;toicollapse and to-lnove figure, thereby'niatiipulating the latch 11' and then opening;thefdisconnecting switch 10.

- the circuit interrupter itself.

Referring to Fig. 3, the telescopic driving shaft comprises a lower main section 111 that extends upwardly. thru the carriage 44 and terminates in a squared portion 112.

A collar or extension 113 is disposed over the squared portion 112 and is adapted for longitudinal movement there along by means of a lever 114 pivotally mounted on the header 47. The outer edge-of the collar 113 meshes with the ring gear 56, only when the operator keeps the handle 114 in its upper position. By reason of the telesco ic connection on the shaft 42, the atten ance of the operator during the Operation of the device 6 is insured.

In the operation of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention, the pull rods 13 and 14 are first manipulated to unlatch and open the disconnecting switch and to operate the circuit interrupter 7 toits open circuit position. The tank-lifting and ad justing device 6 is then positioned by causmg the pins 36 toengage the openings 35- in thefioor 2. The handle 114 is raised andv the screw'threads 48 are then rotated until the arms 46 firmly engage the boss 31 in the tank member 8 and the boss 45 engages the rod 94. The gripping members 52 are then caused to engage the coupling members by manipulation of the hand lever 54. The shafts 23 are then turned in such manner as to loosen the clamps 19 and, when the clamps 19 are free from the ears 22, the. screw threads 48 are actuated in order to lower the carriage 44until the tank member 8 rests upon the platform 33. The pins 36 are then drawn from the openings and the truck moves the tank member 8 away from the cover member!) leaving the operating parts of the circuit interrupter open for inspection or repair.

When it is desired to replace the tank, the foregoing operations are repeated in their reverse order and where necessary the direction of rotation of the motor is reversed.

It will'thus be seen that I have provided a tank-lifting and adjusting device for circuit interrupters that both lowersand raises an element of the circuit interrupter and is cain pable of adjusting or. clamping that element in place. At the same time, operation of the tank-lifting and adjusting device toclamp the circuit breaker element in place when the disconnecting switches are closed, is prevented. Likewise, manipulation of the .controL' ling pull rods for the circuit interrupter is prevented when the tank member is removed.

as various modifications thereof may be ef- Y fected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a tank-lifting and adjusting element, a circuit interrupter element and a disconnecting switch element, of interlocking means for controlling the operation of,the tank-lifting'and adjusting element inaccordance withthe position of another element.

2. The. combination with a tank lifting and adjusting element, a circuit interrupter element and a disconnecting switch element, of interlocking means for controlling the operation of the tank-lifting and adjusting element in accordance with the position of the. disconnecting switch element.

3. The combination with a circuit interrupting element, a tank-lifting and adjusting element and a supporting surface therefor, of'means for positioning the tank-lifting and adjusting device on the supporting SIP": face with relation tothe position of the circuit interrupting element- 4. The combination with a circuit interrupting element, a tank-lifting and adjust ing element, and a supporting surface there- .5. The combination with a tank-liftingand adjusting device for electrical appa ratus, of a supporting surface therefor having an opening'therein for co-operation with the tank-lifting and adjusting device for positioning the latter. I

6. The combination with a disconnecting switch and clamping means for a circuit interrupter. of interlocking means for controlling the operation of the clamping means in accordance with the connecting switch. I 7. The combination with a. tank-lifting and adjusting device, a circuit interrupter comprising a movable tank, and a disconnecting switch, of interlocking means for controlling the operation of the tank-lifting and adjusting device in accordance with the posgions of the disconnecting switch and the tan position of the disand adjusting device, a circuit interrupter comprising a movable tank, and a disconnecting switch, of interlocking means for preventing the operation of the tank lifting anti adjusting device unless the disconnectin switch and the tank are in predetermine pesi'tions.

The combination. with a circuit interrupter comprising a tank a tank lifting and adjusting device comprising a carriage and a disconnecting switch, of means for con trailing the operation of the disconnecting switch when the carriage is in operative pesiti'en relative to the tank. 10, The combination with a circuit interrenter comprising a tank, a tank-lifiting aifl ati i" a eiscennecting switch, of means for conwting device comprising a carriage and.

trolling the operation of the tank lifting and adjusting device dependent upon the condition of the disconnecting switch and upon thekposition of the carriage reiative to the. tan

11. The combination with a tank lifting and adjusting device, a circuit interrupter comprising; a nievahie tank, and a disconnecting switch, of interlocking means forcontroiiing the operation. on? the disconnecting switch in accordance with the positions of the tank lifting and adjusting device and the tankw In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th Stay of Aprii,

Q OSEPH W, W. @Wl 

